In design, I’m always looking for ways to add layers of meaning and interest to a project. This can be elements that make a site unique or also help connect the site design to a greater context of the community or environment.

On a recent trip to San Francisco, I saw two examples of this type of approach that I thought were fun and successful. The first was a metal guardrail at the Mission Pool and Playground in the city’s Mission District. I recall years before that this barrier had been a plain chainlink fence. When the overall park space was improved back in 2012, this custom, cut metal guardrail was part of design. The fun figures and characters read not only in the vertical plane, but also as whimsical shadows on the ground. I would imagine these were plasma cut panels, and it’s likely that the work was done by a computer controlled system working from digital files.

Exploratorium, San Francisco

The Exploratorium is a public learning laboratory for kids and adults that has been around in San Francisco since the 1969. In 2013 it relocated to the Embarcadero Piers 15 and 17 San Francisco’s landmark Ferry building. It’s at this location that I saw several examples of a similar cutout metal fabrication integrated into the public landscape. These installations added a layer of science onto the artistic to create visually appealing and educational elements. The first of these is a series of metal panels with electrical symbols that screens, but does not forget, the electrical transformers behind it in a service yard. On another face of the building the cladding at the exterior service doors to the restaurant kitchen is clad in panels with cut versions of four different plankton that live in the adjacent San Francisco Bay.

Shadows at Fareground at One Eleven Congress

Having seen these elements on my trip, I came back to town and had a chance to tour the dwg. project at 111 Congress Street that is currently under construction. There’s a faceted shade structure dwg. designed, that we’re calling Nimbus, that incorporates some similar techniques that I saw on my trip. I was struck by how this structure takes the flat panel idea and moves it more into the 3D realm with how it was realized. Angles in the steel framework that support the plasma cut, pattern panels create folds in the canopy, like those in a piece of origami. I’m excited to see the complete, lit structure along with the rest of the landscape when it reopens to the public later this summer.

Exposure, to me, is a very important word. When you are exposed to things in life, you are more aware and well-rounded to the world around you.

What does exposure mean to you? Maybe it means being exposed to the cold weather, or rather, here in Austin, the heat. Maybe to you it means being exposed to someone in a vulnerable way. In the world of landscape architecture, exposure is everything. It is being in the know of new technologies, new advances in design, new ways we can help the environment through our designs, etc.

selfie, obviously

Landscape Architecture is not a very well known major among high school students selecting a career path. Without exposure to the fields of design, our industry misses out on talent critical to our future and students may lose the chance to tap into their passions.

This is the problem that AIA Design Voice aims to solve. Through the 3×2 program, high school students intern with a minimum of 3 design offices throughout one week in July. The disciplines range from Architecture, Landscape Architecture, Urban design and planning, Interior Design, Graphic Design, Mechanical, Civil, and Structural Engineering. The students get to choose which offices they wish to visit and are exposed to office culture and what each profession does.

Three students joined dwg. on Monday, July 17 and sat through a short presentation of what type of work dwg. does around Austin. Mindy, Francisco, and I shared our experiences of finding the profession and why we all personally chose landscape architecture. The students asked questions and shared why they wanted to participate in AIA Design Voice and what types of design professions they were interested in.

Getting a tour of the 804 Congress parklet

The students received a tour of the office and were able to see how our colleagues work throughout the day, and were exposed to the critical elements of a design studio including our materials library and print room.

After the tour we traveled around downtown to visit a few dwg. projects. We told them about the large scope of work an L.A. might work on in an office – anywhere from a parklet to a major office plaza renovation. From the site visit, they were able to see the many different subjects that one may work with as an L.A. – from plants to hardscape materials to art and ecology.

The students, in a two-hour period, were exposed to landscape architecture and are better equipped with a full range of knowledge regarding the design industry as they move forward to choose their career paths. We look forward to participating again next year!

The Hip Hop Architecture Camp, founded by Michael Ford, is a week long experience designed to introduce Architecture, Urban Planning, and economic development practices to underrepresented youth through Hip Hop culture. The camp is based on the “4C’s” which are creativity, collaboration, communication, critical thinking. Topics explored are the intersection of Hip Hop culture and the built environment through three interconnected realms; media, professional practice, and academia.

I was fortunate to attend two sessions.

The first session began with a listening exercise. Two hip hop songs were presented to the campers (Nas – “I can” and the Fresh Prince of Bel Air – “Theme song”), with lyrics containing topics of environmental injustice, the power of following your dreams, everyday struggles within inner city communities, and future career choices. After listening to the songs, the kids wrote down keywords/lyrics that resonated with the topics listed. The next step dealt with creating (6) 16×8 individual block outlines on graph paper. Each block was up to interpretation, giving kids the freedom to choose what to build. Wooden blocks represented buildings and beads represented trees/landscape, all tools to create an environment based on the keywords they wrote down. It was exciting to see kids interact with each other while coming up with their own individual concepts. Some blocks had very detailed areas of interest while others focused on a broader scope. Once everyone finished, a group presentation was next, concluding with everyone voting on their favorite piece.

The second session focused on creating a board game structured after monopoly, that combined hip hop artists and the cities they came from. The purpose for the activity was to bring awareness to places they once didn’t know about, as well as create a connection between place and people. This activity was interesting to see because each board was encouraged to have its own theme, and like monopoly, each kid created its own unique game pieces based on an artist they felt represented them the best. Like the first session, a group presentation was made and a winner was selected. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to make the final day of the camp which included the recording of a music video of a rap song kids created in a session earlier in the week, but the impact the experience gave me was inspiring.

This camp was a great experience that gave me an appreciation for what I do. As a Landscape Designer, it was a reminder of the power of design and how it can have a positive effect on our environment and neighborhoods. It was also a reminder of the power of my voice, not only as a designer but as a person who cares for social justice. Many inner city neighborhoods are neglected from crucial elements of good design. Lack of quality open space, unsafe environmental conditions, crumbling infrastructure and insufficient transportation options contribute to degradation of inner city neighborhoods. By creating a positive learning experience for youth, Hip Hop Architecture Camp promotes awareness of the urban environment.

If I could take one thing from my experience at the Hip Hop Architecture Camp it is the essence of compassion in design and the willingness to create with a moral compass in mind, reminding us of our importance in the sociology of places.

In a ceremony hosted by Austin Energy Green Building (AEGB) today, Gables Park Tower was awarded with the hard-earned 4-star rating. dwg. provided design services for the green roofs at Gables Park Tower and is proud to have played a part in earning this prestigious designation.

Austin Energy Green Building rates the sustainability of new and remodeled buildings for three markets: Single Family, Multifamily and Commercial. 4-stars is the highest designation that can be achieved.

The design and construction of Gables Park Tower was an opportunity for the client to showcase their commitment to sustainable living. The building is located in the Seaholm EcoDistrict, the City of Austin’s first entry into the national EcoDistricts pilot program, which is a model for urban regeneration and community development focusing on social, economic and ecological innovation.

Aerial shot of the project, highlighting our green roof designs.

The project’s location offers residents a variety of transportation options, encouraging multi-modal transportation to and from the site. Bicycle parking and electric vehicle charging stations are available in the parking garage.

A landscape-integrated bio-filtration pond provides filtration for all stormwater runoff from Gables Park Tower and keeps sediment and pollutants in stormwater from entering Lady Bird Lake.

Dependency on irrigation was reduced by using native plants and efficient equipment.

To properly tell this story, I’ll ask you to take a step back in time with me to one year ago today when the vacant historic structure at 220 South Congress Ave was in the midst of being transformed into an iconic flagship retail experience. Our dwg. team was hard at work leading the patio drawings through a complex permitting process. The general contractor was already on site and making changes inside the building. Construction barriers at Congress Avenue and Barton Springs had been rerouting traffic past the right hand turn lane for a few months.

Simultaneously, the South Central Waterfront (SCW) Initiative was championing their long awaited Vision Framework Plan at City Hall, which was adopted by City Council exactly one year ago today on June 16th, 2016. For 220 South Congress, the South Central Waterfront Framework Plan envisioned an urban park at it’s doorstep, at the feet of the Bat Sculpture and smack dab in the middle of the Barton Springs right turn lane.

Fast forward to February of this year when the Yeti flagship store opened it’s doors. The store and it’s outdoor patio were ready for visitors but a remnant of construction remained in place: the yellow and white traffic barrier blocking southbound traffic from making the free-wheeling, high speed right hand turn. This wasn’t an oversight or poor coordination. This was an intentional move to continue the momentum – or more accurately, the lack of momentum – for drivers who had grown accustomed to the turn lane closure. The idea of a temporary 12-month pilot project to bridge the gap between Yeti’s construction and a permanent urban park described in the SCW Framework Plan had been born. Stakeholders and city staff rallied to keep the barricades up while they continued to work behind the scenes to implement a 12 month pilot project.

In coordination with the Congress Avenue Master Plan event on a recent Saturday earlier this month, AIA Austin’s urban design committee organized a pop up event on the turn lane. The Pop up Plaza spurred conversation and gave the public the opportunity to experience the space in a way that felt more like a park than a roadway. With just 2 weeks of preparation, a group of volunteers that included architects, planners, landscape architects, city staff and a healthy sprinkling of dwg.’ers created a vibrant park space complete with food trucks, games and shade canopies. The plaza came to life for several brief but fun hours. Locals, tourists, runners and cyclists all made their way through the pop up plaza and contributed their ideas of what the park could be.

So, what WILL the park be? There’s still much that’s unknown, but what we observed that day is that a place that can host families, games, food trucks and fun is one that serves you – the public – better than an expanse of asphalt ever could. Transforming under performing infrastructure into resilient, equitable spaces is something that we at dwg. hold near and dear to our hearts. We are excited to be a part of the Barton Springs R.O.W. evolution and are eager to see this first step of the SCW Framework Plan unfold.

]]>http://studiodwg.com/a-row-take-over-on-barton-springs/feed/0meet our summer 2017 interns!http://studiodwg.com/summer-interns-2017/
http://studiodwg.com/summer-interns-2017/#respondWed, 14 Jun 2017 22:49:21 +0000http://studiodwg.com/?p=4609We are so pleased to welcome two talented student design interns from the University of Texas at Austin Masters program in Landscape Architecture. Both Abby and Miles will be in the studio through August. Please help us welcome them!

miles payton

Miles Payton joins dwg. as a summer intern from The University of Texas at Austin, where he is pursuing his Masters in Landscape Architecture. Miles was born and raised on the Northern California coast, exploring foggy redwood forests and poking sea anemones in the tide pools.

Miles is interested in the interactions and integration between human and environmental systems. Before pursuing his MLA, Miles apprenticed and managed small-scale organic farms.

Miles approaches projects wondering how they can perform for all users, human and non-human alike. He stops to smell the flowers and can’t help but pick up a handful of dirt for science.

Miles is excited to join the dwg. team for the summer. He is motivated by dwg.’s mission to improve the urban environment in Austin, and loves contributing to projects happening blocks away.

abby comeau

Abby Comeau joins dwg. as a summer design intern. She is currently pursuing her Masters of Landscape Architecture at the University of Texas at Austin. Abby grew up in the Adirondack Mountains, and spent her childhood exploring the woods, climbing and swimming in Lake Champlain.

These experiences instilled in her a love for exploration and discovery, which she applies to her design process. Abby designs with the intent to orchestrate environmental connection for others and bring a sense of exploration and discovery to our urban spaces.

Abby’s design process prioritizes iteration to solve problems. She believes that it is important to design at multiple scales. Shifting from territorial, site and detail scales are necessary to design a space that engages the community and creates place.

When she’s not place-making in the studio, you can find Abby hiking in our state parks and exploring swimming holes with her dog, Lulu.

We are delighted to be making the last few steps on construction of the exterior improvements at Fareground at One Eleven, a dynamic and sustainable outdoor plaza featuring dining and gathering areas, a bespoke shade structure, shaded open space, an artistic water feature and more.

Fareground serves as the threshold for the 111 Congress office building, as well as its new lobby and gourmet food hall. The food hall will feature an array of local Austin restaurants, boasting new locations for favorites and new concepts from well-known chefs.

The full line-up includes new locations for Antonelli’s Cheese Shop, Easy Tiger, Dai Due and Contigo. The space will feature two new restaurants: Henbit & Honeybit (from the team behind Emmer & Rye) and Ni Kome (from the team behind Kome Sushi.)

We are delighted to design the threshold to this exceptional food hall, which we plan to frequent regularly!

]]>http://studiodwg.com/fareground-threshold-to-delicious/feed/0dwg. is hiring!http://studiodwg.com/dwg-is-hiring/
http://studiodwg.com/dwg-is-hiring/#respondTue, 30 May 2017 19:55:23 +0000http://studiodwg.com/?p=4573Want to join our fabulous team of designers? We are looking for a landscape designer / creative genius with 3 to 8 years of experience to be a part of our studio. Please share with your fun and qualified friends!

Creative Genius / Landscape Architect / Landscape Designer

Summarydwg. is looking to add a Landscape Architect/Landscape Designer to our dynamic team.

The right candidate should:

be passionate about doing great work,

be confident in their skill set and comfortable acknowledging areas needing improvement,

be excited about actively contributing to a shared leadership team,

be flexible/open to change, and have the initiative to be a change agent

have high expectations of self and firm, and be willing to hold both accountable to those expectations,

value the team’s commitment to clients, our work and each other,

love Star Wars and/or David Hasselhoff.

Experience3 to 8 years
Education Requirements

BLA or MLA

3-8 years of experience in the landscape architecture profession

Licensure in the State of Texas is not required but is desirable

SkillsCommunication is our most important asset. As a prerequisite for consideration, candidate must be skilled at verbal, visual/non-verbal, interpersonal and written communication. In addition to communication skills, the following are skill sets we are seeking:

Demonstrated design process experience and proficiency

Demonstrated ability to contribute to the documentation process of a construction drawing set

Demonstrated knowledge and experience of both Public and Private Projects

Computer proficiency is important, specifically demonstrated experience with the following programs:

Google email/docs

Adobe Creative Suite (InDesign/Photoshop/Illustrator)

Sketch-Up

AutoCad

Bluebeam

Demonstrated experience with the following programs is not required but is desirable:

Ajera

Basecamp

Rhino

Revit

Lumion

Project management experience is not required but is desirable

Public Speaking and Presentation experience is not required but is desirable.

Local permitting knowledge is not required but is desirable.

Bidding and Contract Management experience is not required but is desirable.

Other materials, references or data that would highlight your qualifications for the position

About dwg.dwg. was established in 2010 by Daniel Woodroffe in Austin, Texas after many years of national and international experience in landscape architecture. The firm is passionate about urbanism, positioning the landscape as green infrastructure and designing solutions that encourage social and environmental change.Our firm is focused on urban architectural landscapes, targeting our efforts at projects within high growth urban areas, which results in an expertise in all aspects of urban design.We are leaders in sustainable and low-impact development and collaborate with design teams and stakeholders to successfully implement project visions. In a little more than seven years, the studio has grown to a staff of 22 experts in urban architectural landscapes, civic infrastructure and sustainable design, including nine registered landscape architects and ten landscape designers.dwg. attributes our success to repeat clientele and client referrals, valuable and meaningful community involvement, our innovative and collaborative process and (last but certainly not least) our fun and talented staff of designers.

Speck argues that cities that offer residents a walkable environment boast benefits that are economic, health and sustainable in nature. The presentation backs up dwg.’s philosophy of dense, urban designs benefitting the users. Enjoy!

As designers, we constantly imagine, detail, and observe the creation of outdoor spaces. For me personally, my time is weighted toward the first two stages. Though I spend a great amount of effort understanding how designs will work through extensive 3D modeling and drawing, nothing beats building something yourself for a true education in design. I recently took on a project at my house that allowed me to gain some perspective on what it takes to build something. The project was a brick patio.

My wife and I came across a large stack of bricks from a coworker. The bricks were salvaged from a driveway and are probably 50-60 years old. They are D’hanis bricks from San Antonio who has been producing quality brick since 1905. They were a score for us to find so we jumped at the opportunity. The first lesson we learned…bricks are difficult to move! There is no fast way to move ~2000 bricks when you can only pick up and carry a few at a time.

Once we moved the bricks to our house, the next step was coming up with the design. As a pair of designers, my wife and I had more than a few options that we came up with. In the end we settled on a seemingly simple design, a rectangle.

Once we had the design, we needed to demo the existing concrete pad. I first attempted jackhammering but quickly realized I needed more help. We hired a crew of helpers and demoed the concrete. Once the slab was removed, we still had the issue of a 3.5 foot diameter Sycamore stump that needed to be removed. We rented a stump grinder, and a short 16 hours later we had no stump and lots of wood chips

The first construction step for us was building a steel frame to contain the bricks and gravel fill we would be adding. This step revealed another obvious, but still mind-blowing reality about the material we were using. Steel is heavy. We decided to use ⅜” thick steel because we wanted the sides to be very rigid and robust, and well frankly it looks awesome. Wrangling such large and heavy pieces of steel while trying to keep decent precision for welding was difficult, but in the end we were able to get it together. I will note at this point that I started to realize tolerances I would be able to achieve as for a novice…expectations were lowered. Although, few of my welds were pretty; stack-o-dimes! (I didn’t take pictures of the bad ones).

Following the steel, the next step was preparing the ground for the bricks. This required grading, compacting, dumping road base by hand(6 yards), and compacting again. Thanks to guilt-induced volunteering from friends, this step was a lot less painful than it could have been (65 wheelbarrow loads later).

The final and most rewarding step was laying the bricks. One component of this step that we did not foresee was the need to clean each of the salvaged bricks to remove mud and mortar to allow for some uniformity in the laying process. The backyard brick cleaning station resembled an archeological dig.

We are happy with how it turned out, and looking back will fondly remember the effort it took. On to next project!